July 15, 2017 9.00 am This story is over 80 months old

MP Karen Lee ‘assured’ after talks with Co-op over Lincoln redundancies

Member of Parliament for Lincoln Karen Lee has said she has been assured that staff and unions are being properly consulted over plans to close two Lincolnshire Co-op distribution centres in the city. Karen Lee spoke to The Lincolnite on Friday, July 14 after calling for a meeting with Lincolnshire Co-op CEO Ursula Lidbetter. She told reporters, following…
Photo: The Lincolnite

Member of Parliament for Lincoln Karen Lee has said she has been assured that staff and unions are being properly consulted over plans to close two Lincolnshire Co-op distribution centres in the city.

Karen Lee spoke to The Lincolnite on Friday, July 14 after calling for a meeting with Lincolnshire Co-op CEO Ursula Lidbetter.

She told reporters, following news that 111 staff were in redundancy talks: “I came back from London early to have a meeting with Ursula. It was a very productive meeting.

“I wanted to be sure the proper processes and procedures have been followed and I have been assured that they are, and I wanted to be assured that the unions and staff are being properly and fully consulted, and they are.

“It must be truly awful for the people who have been affected by this. My sympathies are with them.”

As previously reported, the Whisby Road and Pioneer Way Lincolnshire Co-op food distribution centres in Lincoln are likely to be closed from September.

A consultation has begun with staff on the move, which is expected to result in savings of around £1 million a year which would be invested in new facilities.

Karen added that talks are ongoing with the company.

Reporters spoke with the Lincoln MP just hours after she was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Labour Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell.

She also added that she will be meeting with Lincolnshire West CCG on July 26 to further discuss plans for the possible closure of the Walk In Centre on Monks Road.

However, she has said she is pleased that the consultation period has been extended and has been ‘inundated’ with enquiries about the closure from worried residents.